A deeply moving Service of Lament and Reflection was held at St Barthlomew’s Church in Winchester on Saturday 11 July, bringing together people affected by historic mother and baby home practices, including mothers, adoptees and family members.
The service was organised by the Diocese of Winchester following the Church of England’s national apology to those harmed by historic adoption practices. The Diocese had previously announced that the gathering would take place in the parish where the former Winchester maternity home was located, offering space for lament, acknowledgement and prayer.
People travelled from across the country to attend, with some coming from as far away as Sheffield and Suffolk. Many of those present had personal connections to mother and baby homes and to practices of forced adoption, and a number of women courageously shared their experiences of time spent in the home, or of being born there as adoptees.
During the service, prayers of lament were offered for the pain, loss and trauma experienced by women and children affected by these practices. A plaque was unveiled by the Bishop of Basingstoke, the Rt Revd Kelly Betteridge, as a lasting public acknowledgement of this history and of the stories that had too often been hidden or unheard.
In one of the most poignant moments of the service, members of the congregation were invited to bring forward white roses and exchange them for a lit candle, creating a visible sign of remembrance, sorrow and hope.
The Diocese of Winchester’s own research has identified one maternity home in Winchester and a further seven smaller homes and shelters in Basingstoke, Southampton, Bournemouth, Alton and the Channel Islands. These homes were part of a wider network of maternity and adoption services delivered by government bodies, charities and faith groups across the UK until the 1970s.
While some of the homes were originally established in response to social need and concerns about maternal and child health, the Diocese has acknowledged that some practices caused deep and lasting pain, and contributed to a culture of shame and stigma around unmarried mothers and their children.
Following an appeal for information about the Winchester Diocesan Maternity Home, the Diocese heard from mothers and adoptees who shared their personal stories. Their testimony helped shape the service and the Diocese’s commitment to remembering this part of its history with honesty, compassion and humility.
The service marked an important moment of recognition for those who have lived with the consequences of historic mother and baby home practices. For many who attended, it offered an opportunity for grief to be named, stories to be honoured, and a painful history to be brought into the light.
One of the people, Scilla, who attended said: “It is almost 72 years since I was born prematurely at the notorious North Walls home, known as the Home for Repentant Women. But coming back today I found it a beautiful and thoughtful Service of Lament with some extraordinary and moving stories shared.”
Another lady who came along recalled being brought to the church on Sundays and made to sit at the back – it was a healing experience to sit at the front and have the Bishop of Basingstoke offer a public apology for how young women were treated. Her daughter who accompanied her mother said: “It’s not quite closure as nothing can take the pain away, but it was deeply moving and healing, like we have come full circle back this church and found some peace.”
